Pedroia slams way to milestone

Bases-loaded shot gives Boston 2B 100th HR of career

Associated Press

Associated Press

Published 12:27 am, Saturday, May 3, 2014

Boston Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia smiles as he is congratulated by teammate David Ortiz (34) after his grand slam off Oakland Athletics pitcher Ryan Cook during the sixth inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, May 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) ORG XMIT: MACK111

Dustin Pedroia hit a grand slam for his 100th career home run and Clay Buchholz picked up his first win at home as the Red Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 7-1 on Friday night.

Pedroia had yet to homer this season before driving an 0-2 pitch out to left field in the sixth inning to put Boston up 6-1. The cushion was plenty for Buchholz (2-2), who shut down the team with the top record in the American League.

Buchholz pitched 61/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out five. He walked three and got himself out of several jams as the A's left five on base and were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position against Buchholz.

John Jaso scored Oakland's only run, coming in on a wild pitch after leading off the third with a triple.

Cook relieved Otero and got Pedroia down 0-2, before he cleared the bases with a shot that just cleared the Green Monster. A's manager Bob Melvin challenged whether the ball cleared the yellow line before a fan touched it and lost the appeal.

The milestone homer put him in elite Red Sox company as only the second player in franchise history with 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases. Pedroia, who stole his 121st career base in the first inning, joins Carl Yastrzemski (452 home runs, 168 steals).

Boston hadn't scored since getting a pair of runs in the second inning off starter Dan Straily (1-2). Grady Sizemore led off with a double and scored on Pierzynski's single with one out. Bradley Jr. added a two-out double to drive in Pierzynski and Boston led 2-0.

Bradley ended a potential rally for the A's in the eighth with a leaping catch at the center-field wall.

Straily pitched 41/3 innings, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out three and walked three.